Tampa Bay Rays - PlayerWatch

August 29, 2012|Reuters

OF Josh Sale, the Rays' top 2010 draft pick, was suspended 50 games for drug issues, testing positive for methamphetamine and an amphetamine. He is the fourth player from the Class A Bowling Green team to be suspended in the past week.

RHP Jeff Niemann will return to the mound Saturday at Toronto, the same place he was hit by a line drive May 14 and sustained a broken right leg. Niemann will be used as a spot starter, with RHP Alex Cobb retaining his spot in the rotation.

RHP James Shields really couldn't have done much better Tuesday over seven solid innings, holding the powerful Rangers to three hits, albeit one a home run by Ian Kinsler. But with his team once again failing to provide any support, he ended up on the wrong side of a 1-0 decision. Shields allowed two walks while fanning eight.

INF Sean Rodriguez won't need surgery to repair the right hand he fractured while punching a locker in frustration Sunday after a game with Class AAA Durham. He could return to the Rays by late September. "It's possible, but it's still unfortunate because we needed him earlier than that," manager Joe Maddon said. "So there's no real great solace in the fact that he's going to be available at some point. He should be available as of Sept. 1. That's what we were looking for."

OF Sam Fuld took over in right field when Matt Joyce was injured, and he ended up going 3-for-3, the first AL player to enter a game as a reserve and get three hits since the Yankees' Jorge Posada in June 2011.

OF Matt Joyce left Tuesday's game when he felt a muscle grab in his left arm on a check swing. The official diagnosis was a left forearm strain. "Right now I'm day-to-day. Hopefully it stays that way," Joyce said. "It's frustrating." Joyce is in a 4-for-39 slump (.103) after striking out in his lone at-bat Tuesday.